May 25, 2012

Remembering a Special Seabee

This Memorial Day, I would like to remember
those of the "Greatest Generation" who served their country and
are no longer with us as well as those currently preserving our freedom.

Thank
you.

My father served in World War II as a Seabee in the South Pacific. After his passing, we came across a lot of the items he saved from that time. Here are some of the photos he took of his friends.

He and my mother visited us while we lived in Russia (where my novel Saving Hope is set)--the first and only time he traveled to Europe. My mother had been in Europe just following World War II in a special program to bring those from different nations together to assist the continent's reconstruction as well as develop an understanding of different cultures.

Liese Sherwood-Fabre's Russian thriller Saving Hope, is now available through the Musa Publishing site:

I loved the picture of the men and women working and the women have dresses on! Wow, what a different time that was. And it's so cool that you have photos of your dad and his friends during the war time. Such a different time in our history.Patti

Thank you for sharing those precious photos. I have to admit that time frame in our history really lures me into great research for my writing. The times were hard, but everyone did band together. The love of our country and what it stood for showed through there attitudes towards protecting it.

I remember the first time I learned the story of the Enola Gay was when I got to visit a great Uncle's apartment. He had a bunch of WWII photos on the wall - one was of the enola gay- he seemed very proud of it and I asked what was so special about that plane - i got my first real history lesson on WWII

I also remember sitting with a friend's father back in high school. He was italian. I noticed a scar on his hand and asked about it - he told me during the war when Musollini changed sides the italians stationed in German territory became prisoners of war (I think I have that right) Anyhow, he was near death so he'd cut himself on purpose in order to be taken to the medical ward because they were treated better in the medical ward.

I hadn't known till then he'd even been in WWII

we take SO much for granted living in the USA

I believe we owe all our service men so much, thank you doesn't seem enough.

Thanks everybody for your comments. Because my father and mother took the pictures, they are not in them. But...in the one in color, my aunt (mother's sister) is the one on the far right with the blue socks. I always imagine the trepidation my grandmother had to have experienced allowing her two daughters (very early twenties) to go off to Europe so shortly after the war. Or even most deeply felt fears, my grandparents to let their only child to go off to war. What a lot of faith they all had.

For a high school "WWII through film" class, I had the opportunity to interview my grandma's boyfriend (cute, I know) who was in the Navy in WWII. I thought it was a cool concept of a class back then, but now I really get how special and important it was to have the younger generations learn about, remember, and preserve (we wrote papers about our interviews) the amazing history of that WWII generation!

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

Vicki has been asked to write a handbag blog for a collector's site entitled Picollecta! Perfect!!
Kathy has 3 new releases: Relentless Pursuit, Ultimate Betrayal, and Keeping Secrets, part of the New Orleans Connection Series. Congratulations, Kathy!